Arrow One Shots
by Lyrasloon
Summary: This will be a variety of one-shots with no particular pairings in mind. I welcome prompts of just about any kind. See the first page for my rules on prompts/pairings. I have rated it K just in case, not because of anything in particular. Expect drama, angst, a little romance or whatever strikes peoples fancy. :) *Talia/Oliver is in the works
1. Prologue

A/N: Okay, I'm in the middle of working on "It's Complicated" (quite literally), but I seriously can't get this series out of my head. So, I'm obviously left with no choice. I have to at least write the introduction and hopefully not get burned for my opinions on certain pairings. It's been in my head ever since the whole Crisis and Elseworld thing. I have watched almost all of season 7, which is because I had it on my watch list for what seemed like forever. Well, that and season 4 just was torturous. Seriously. Anywho. This is going to be a series of one-shots. Much like my HTTYD series (which I still accept prompts for even though it is labeled complete), I will accept prompts; but there are a few exceptions and rules. I'll give you the pairings I'll do, both romantic or otherwise.

Nyssa x Oliver (pre or after marriage)

Dig x Oliver (friends only please)

Barry x Oliver (same as Dig, but I'll do the arguing like a married couple ;))

Kara x Oliver

Thea x Oliver (I am not doing the incest thing, so don't ask)

Moira and/or Robert x Oliver

Slade x Oliver (friends, enemies, whatever)

Sara or any of the canaries, probably with the exception of Zoe x Oliver

Tommy x Oliver

If you can think of any other pairings, okay; but since this is Arrow, I'd really like to maintain the focus around Ollie. I like the show, really I do. But it _does_ tick me off that they make him out to be such a monster, which brings me to my next point for you Felicity x Oliver fans. Yes, I am fully aware I skipped it on the list. They will be _friends_ or maybe something like a pre-island Oliver. I don't approve of how she treats him. After the prison debacle, she speaks for him. She's not only manipulative but hypocritical in so many ways and is not nice to her Oliver. I've said my piece, so go ahead and flame me. I've got plenty of marshmallows for hot chocolate and I will argue my point if necessary. I will write prompts for them, just nothing romantic; unless its one of the playboy Oliver things. So, ask away and in the meantime, I will also do my own. ;)


	2. Nanda Parbat vs Starling City

A/N: Okay, since this has sorta been in my head for a while I'm going to get this written and possibly even get some others done, since I am determined to get that NCIS/CM fic finished. T.T

Okay, for this one (and pretty much almost every single one afterwards I guess...maybe?) we may just have to assume that everything is in a way AU; either that, or it's just the same situation (more or less) and just out of order.

*Obviously, there will be spoilers ahead.

Lazichicken123: I have seen the different interactions between Talia and Oliver after Russia and it pains me that she turned on him so drastically. It sounds like a good idea though. :)

Guest: Initially, when I first saw Kara with Oliver, I have to admit that I kinda cringed at the clash. (I'm talking Invasion, really) Barry looked awkward about the whole thing and Kara almost looked like she wasn't sure what to think. Admittedly, they have both grown on me.

Kenriot1214: I had some plans on doing Oliver with Nyssa, but I hadn't really thought about including Kara at the same time. O_o It's an interesting thought though.

Summary: Oliver has just been married to Nyssa and debates with himself whether or not he should just stay in Nanda Parbat after he makes sure Starling City is saved from the Alpha Omega attack. This is all under different circumstances with Merlyn, of course.

Chapter 1: Nanda Parbat vs Starling City

Oliver had been thinking about it for a while now but had been forcing himself to ignore the signs as he usually did. He'd actually avoided telling Thea about his entire situation, especially anything concerning her father Malcolm Merlyn. He'd been forcing himself to get along with the man, but it was mostly for her benefit. She still didn't know what he'd done to her and thinking about it now, Oliver wasn't sure that she would handle it all that well. She'd be undoubtedly angry with him for not saying anything to her, and obviously be livid with Merlyn as well. He honestly didn't know what to do on that front. He was just glad to have had some...distractions lately, so he didn't have to think about it so much. Figuring that it was best to just compartmentalize like he was usually forced to do, he rubbed his temples and willed his latest stress-induced headache to just go away. He had too much on his mind lately and at times he just wanted to disappear, going back to Lian Yu or someplace equally isolated so that he wouldn't have to deal with these types of problems. He couldn't help but think that maybe R'as had been right and that he should just go back to Nanda Parbat and forget he ever came back. Things just hadn't been the same since he had initially gone to fight him to protect Thea and had steadily been declining to the point where, more often than not, he was turning off his comms and going solo at night. He knew that he wasn't alone, of course. Even if Felicity and Dig couldn't track him, he knew without a doubt that Nyssa wouldn't let her husband be without protection. They both knew that they didn't necessarily _love_ each other and were equally unhappy to be forced into an unwanted marriage, but they had become close enough that he knew she wouldn't want him hurt. He wasn't alone even now, but it was somewhat comforting to know that someone cared besides Thea. If he _did_ decide to leave, he needed to make sure that she knew she could visit and that he'd come whenever she needed him. He was still her big brother, even if he loathed her father. Sighing, he glanced backwards towards the shadows of the rooftop he was sitting on.

"Did Nyssa send you to watch over me?" Oliver asked, already knowing exactly who she had sent after him.

"Yes, my lord. She decided to look in on your sister's welfare, as she thought that you would appreciate it. She figured that you have been too distracted as of late to do so."

"I wonder how it is that someone I barely know, aside from my dealings with the League, knows me better than my own friends do."

"I suppose it is not my place to say." the assassin said, looking at the ground.

Oliver glanced at the man, who was dressed in his assassin gear and shook his head at the answer.

"As one of my friends, I think that I'd have to disagree with that...Maseo." To his credit, the man did not flinch at the name as much as he thought he might. "If I told her to come, would you not meet her again?" Oliver asked, looking straight at Maseo...or Sarab. This time, he flinched at the mention of Tatsu.

"We did meet, as you saw. There is nothing more to be said, as her husband left her long ago in Hong Kong."

"You were in the same room and you sat outside in a blizzard almost the entire time." Oliver shot back, not even trying to hold back his flat and sarcastic tone. Maybe Tatsu was right and her husband was really gone.

"My-Oliver," Sarab, no this was Maseo speaking, Oliver told himself. He may be a mere shadow of his old self, but he was still there. "Do not pursue this. If we were ever friends and comrades, you will let me remain as Sarab. Let Maseo die, as Akio did."

Oliver felt chills on his arms that had nothing to do with the cold as he heard Maseo's words. He still remembered everything surrounding the kid's death, including torturing Shrieve. Just thinking about it made him feel slightly ill. It was probably one of the first times that he'd truly seen the path he had set himself on. Tatsu had looked at him in such horror, but he'd come to feel like Akio was like a little brother. Letting Maseo die and turn into Sarab and giving up on trying to patch things up between Maseo and Tatsu? Would it solve anything or just make things easier? What was it that Tatsu had told him the last time he had seen her?

_The line between grief and guilt is a thin one. Sometimes death is preferable to the agony of life._

"I understand...Sarab," he told his friend, as he felt like he had just stabbed him. Why does it feel like I'm betraying them and Akio?" Taking a cleansing breath, he tried to get the image of the child out of his mind. "What has Nyssa been doing?"

"Other than checking on your sister, I believe she was going to check in on your friends."

As objective as he was trying to be about this entire thing, he knew that if he just left without saying goodbye; well, he supposed that things wouldn't be too off-balanced. Of course, that could only be based on what Nyssa had said to them about what happened. He had helped stop her father and was the new leader, as was the plan. He could always say goodbye to them and leave, then hope they didn't come after him _again. _As things stood, only a small select group would bother at this point. Thea would, once she recovered, but she would be very angry at him no doubt. John probably wouldn't bother, seeing as he had been forced to use Lyla in all of this. Laurel had always seen the best in him, but he saw her staying with Quentin since everything had happened with Sara.

Felicity was...complicated, no doubt. She and Ray had been involved, for a while no doubt. Everyone wanted to see her as his light in the darkness, but he had seen her for what she truly was when she tried to twist and manipulate him. Barry had told him that the two of them had been on a few dates, which for some reason, had made him slightly jealous. He didn't even see her that way. It was almost like he was being _conditioned_ to feel this way, which felt disturbing. He could tell that she might actually like Ray, but it was pretty visible that she had not only used him but Oliver as well. What was worse was how quickly she switched to the next rich guy she found and had made it out like it was Oliver's fault for not being there. And seemingly, with perhaps the exception of Roy, everyone had no problem with this logic. Putting his hands over his eyes to try and rub the exhaustion out, he laughed mirthlessly. He was always the monster and the one to blame. It didn't mean that there weren't plenty of things that he wasn't responsible for, but now there wasn't anything he wasn't blamed for, either. He heard more than saw Nyssa coming up behind him, as she came to stand behind him.

"How is Thea?" he asked her, not bothering to look at her. He could see her from a distance of course, but he didn't have the heart or courage to talk to her face to face quite yet. Nyssa raised an eyebrow but said nothing for a moment. "Nyssa?"

"If I may speak plainly, husband, I never took such a great warrior as you to be such a coward, Al Sah- Him," she told him, not bothering to sugar coat it at all. He wasn't quite sure whether to be offended or amused.

"Why bother holding back? Just tell me how you really feel, Nyssa," he mumbled, sounding almost petulant to her. She sighed inwardly and chose to sit down beside him, having the feeling that this would be a long talk.

"Husband, why are you acting like this? She will only be angry at her father, not you. _You _are not the one that killed Sara."

At this, she saw his eyes widen slightly as he struggled to contain his reaction. He obviously knew more than that but didn't want to let her know just in case she wasn't aware who had really killed Sara. Sure, it was ultimately Merlyn's fault, but Thea was the one who had been the unfortunate and unwilling assassin. He wanted nothing more than to have the man's head, but he had no idea what that would do to Thea's emotional state with everything that was already happening. For all she knew, he had left her all alone and to Merlyn's machinations, no doubt. He needed to get her out from under his greedy and deceitful hands, but he had no idea how to get her to trust him without her pushing him away. If he told her about Sara, she would undoubtedly hate the man; but she may just hate him too, for everything he had done to let her stay alive.

"What is it that you know about Al Sa-Her?" he asked, looking down at the city streets that were full of the nightlife. "Do you think he was involved in...Sara's murder?"

Nyssa narrowed her eyes at him, tired of playing his games; and yet, she knew what he was trying to do. Thinking of Sara as she gazed at Thea through the windows, she remembered what it felt like to try and protect someone by any means necessary.

"I do not know if your sister knows what her...father has done. I do not think even my father would have been so heartless as to do so."

Oliver could feel his heartbeat quicken as he began to realize the implications. She knew. She knew that it was Thea that had killed Sara, even if she had been forced to do it. He didn't want to be forced to pick sides between his new wife and his sister, but he knew that he would pick his little sister every time. She was the only family he truly had left and he didn't want to lose her, even if it meant that he had to go against Nyssa. He tried to remain calm and looked at her with what he hoped was a calm facade.

"And what is that, exactly?"

He heard her sigh as she looked away from the windows and made him look at her. Her eyes were intense as she looked into his, searching for some sort of answer.

"Do not try and play coy with me, husband; I am not so foolish as to play these silly little games of yours."

"What do you-" he started, before she cut him off.

"I know everything about Ta-er al-Sahfer's killer, as unwilling as it was," she said, noticing him flinch slightly. "That is why Merlyn should die; even if he is her father. She will hate him for what he has made her do."

"And what about what I was forced to do?" he asked, almost whispering in an uncharacteristically quiet voice. "I tried to protect her and I lied about almost dying, saying I was basically partying. If I tell her I lied, I'm no different than he is."

She grabbed his hand and he jerked slightly, not used to the contact. He frowned and looked at her, confused. "Nyssa?"

"You are different because you are trying to protect her from what he did to her, just like you always have. You're her big brother and you have always tried to protect her, even when she didn't want or need it."

Oliver looked at her and thought about how she was brought up. His eyes softened as he remembered her once mentioning a sister that had left long ago. As much as Barry had struggled to make him be one, he was never a hugger and hardly ever initiated contact; so it was probably a surprise to both of them when he slowly brought her into a hug and held her. It must have been difficult to see someone like him so willing to stand up to her father and protect Thea when she was always forced to stand up for herself. He opened his mouth a few times before continuing, trying to find the right thing to say.

"I need to know if you're going to want his head, hers or both." he started, before pausing. She looked like she wanted to say something, but he raised his hand silently asking for her to wait. "If you are going after Malcolm, I won't stop you; however, I will want to tell Thea everything so she doesn't strike back foolishly. She has always been the type to be rash. On the other hand, if you decide to go after Thea, I will put her under my protection. I'm sure I don't have to tell you what that means." he finished, giving her a pointed look.

Nyssa knew exactly what he meant and she didn't want to tempt fate again. She knew exactly what he was capable of if he got serious. He would protect his sister, regardless of her feelings concerning her role in Sara's untimely death. Actually, she felt quite the opposite. She loved Thea as if she were her own sister in the short time they had known each other, as she did Laurel. Her father was the one responsible and she felt as if Thea would be caught on the same dark path they were on if they didn't keep an eye on her.

"Your sister is not to blame and so I will allow you your time to give her your explanation before taking Al-Sa Her's life or taking him back to Nanda Parbat for torture first. She is the victim in all of this, as are the rest of us. Also, I see her as if she were my own sister and I would never see her harmed."

Oliver felt like a giant weight had been lifted off of his shoulders as he heard her say that. She's safe from that monster, but not the ones inside.

"I recommend that we take her with us, husband. You know as well as I do that know that she has been touched by death like we have that it would be wise to keep her close."

He nodded in agreement, seeing sense in what she was saying. She was quite the wise woman when she wasn't being held back as her father had always insisted on doing. He had seen the way she always bit her tongue around him and followed orders, just as he was always forced to. He liked her better this way, though; free and untamed. He wanted them as equals, like a king and queen ruling beside each other. He got up, followed by Nyssa; and nodded at _Sarab._ They had things to do, but he would make sure that she was as happy as possible. Hopefully, they could learn to love each other, but for now, they would take care of their business in Starling before leaving for Nanda Parbat.

"First things first. I will go and see my sister, while you take some backup and find Al-Sa Her. I think we both know how slippery and dangerous he can be, so I'd rather save ourselves the trouble."

Nyssa nodded, remembering how the slippery "magician" had managed to slip through not only the League but Oliver's hands as well in the past; faking his death a few times. The magician, indeed.

Splitting into two groups, they both were determined to be done by the end of the night so they could leave for Nanda Parbat as soon as possible. Oliver Queen had died that night, fighting to save his city. He would return with his new wife and sister to Nanda Parbat as their leader, the Demon's Head.

A/N: So, I'm not sure exactly well that turned out, but I've never written an Arrow fic before. Although (much to my dismay), I came up with a Flash/Arrow crossover. Woe is me, really. As if I don't have enough stories going already. T.T Okay. I will try to get to all the suggestions that I can and hopefully I can meet your standards. *crosses fingers*


	3. Nanda Parbat vs Starling City pt2

A/N: Wow! I seriously appreciate all of the ideas and reviews ya'll, I think to appeal to all of the masses (thus far ;)) I will do a short continuation of the last one and then maybe try and get another one done. Hopefully.

Last chapter: Oliver is finally cornered by Nyssa, concerning the details of Sara's murder and the possible consequences. While Nyssa decides that Thea had no choice and shouldn't be punished (much to his relief), she is not as forgiving where her father is concerned.

*And before it gets pointed out to me, Oliver is the new leader of the League, after killing Nyssa and Talia's father. However, he only uses Maseo, Tatsu and Barry's help for the most part and not Merlyn's. Therefore, he is Ra's and not Merlyn, just to clear things up.

Nanda Parbat vs Starling City Pt 2

Oliver looked at Thea from a distance and frowned at the thought of just killing her father. On one hand, he was more than a little relieved that his wife wasn't demanding that he seek her immediate death as recompense for the death of Ta-er al-Sahfer. They had both loved her in their own way, one more selfishly than the other had. He liked to think that they both felt the loss of her equally, in some sort of way. Why was it at the time when he had lost his brother in all but blood that he had no problem trying to kill his father? Was it because they both were so protective of Thea? He had had no problem trying to kill him then; so why was he hesitating when he knew what Merlyn, no, Al-Sa Her had done to _all three_ of the women that he loved? Sure, he loved them all in very different ways, but that didn't change the fact that he wanted the man to at least suffer for what he had done to them. He blamed Felicity mostly, and maybe even Dig. Before he met them, _Al-Sa Her_ would have met the same fate as anyone else on that list; no questions asked. Now, he was left here sitting next to his new wife in a silent and private war. If he did this, he could lose his sister and only living family he had left. If he didn't, Nyssa would either strike out on her own and seek his forgiveness later or just never forgive him.

_Better to seek forgiveness than it is to ask permission, after all._

Standing up, he sucked it up and went towards what he knew was going to end up being an uphill battle, if nothing else. Nyssa and Sarab had taken a few steps to follow, before he raised his hand to stop them.

"This is between the two of us. You have your own objective, Nyssa." he said in his no nonsense voice. He knew that Sarab would follow him regardless and merely allowed it, as long as he stayed out of his way during his...confrontation.

It took him a while, considering not only the distance but his lack of enthusiasm as he approached their loft. He glanced back at where he knew his impromptu bodyguard was in the shadows and paused outside of the door. He hated this feeling of dread. If he wasn't careful, he'd lose her and she would never speak to him again. Taking a deep breath and releasing it, he strengthened his resolved by force, if nothing else and opened the door.

"Stay here and keep watch, but let me know the instant they find him." he ordered in Sarab's direction, knowing the man wouldn't move unless he was told otherwise.

Hearing the door open and close, Thea came downstairs full speed and yet light on her feet at the same time. She'd always been light on her feet and quick like that, which was one of the reasons he called her Speedy. He supposed that her training with her _father_ hadn't exactly hurt as he knew for a fact that she could handle herself. He hated himself more and more for what he was about to do. He hugged her as she came to him; knowing it might be the last time and she hugged him back, before frowning as she fully looked at him. He probably didn't look like himself, he figured, and she always was one of the people who read him the best.

"Something is wrong, I can tell. The last time you acted like this was before you left and "got arrested for partying." You know, I never did believe that excuse. I just let it slide, but now you're frowning and giving me the patented 'I-wish-I-had-better-news' face." she rambled on, letting go of him so she could go get a pair of tumbler glasses and some alcohol. He had his 'you won't like what I'm about to tell you' face. She poured the drinks and set them on the coffee table by the couch, beckoning him over. "I can tell this is going to be one of those "I wish I had something to drink" talks. So, lay it on me."

As he sat down next to her, he grabbed one of the glasses and downed it in one shot before pouring another. He wouldn't have more than three, just in case he had to go against Merlyn at a moment's notice. He saw his sister wince, obviously knowing that it meant something bad. Drinking half of his second glass, he sighed as his sister drank all of her first in one go. He laughed mirthlessly at the sentiment and leaned his head back against the couch, wondering where to even start.

_You killed Sara, one of your closest friends? Your father is wanted by the League because of something you were forced to do? _

"Just tell me, Ollie. I'm a big girl, you know." Thea said in a quiet and all too calm voice. Oliver sighed again and shook his head.

"That's just it, Speedy. This news could..._will _probably hurt you in a way I never thought possible. Finding out about Mom's involvement in the Undertaking was almost easier than this."

He saw Thea pale slightly and almost drop her glass if he hadn't caught it in time. She looked at him in fear and was obviously remembering when she first found out about what happened. She still didn't quite understand Malcolm's motives for something like mass murder, let alone allowing his own son to die. She took a few deep breaths and calmed herself down, before nodding. Honestly, she couldn't fathom anything even close to that scale, but she'd try and deal with whatever it was. Seeing as she had worked herself up to such a degree, he decided that he should start at the beginning and work his way up.

"I...Well, you know that I wasn't out partying a few months back, I guess. That's because I was healing from a uh, sword wound."

Thea looked at him shocked, wondering where he could have even managed to get hurt like that, let alone why. He saw the questions in her eyes and held up his hand to stall them. He'd get there eventually, she surmised. She gave him a pointed look, expressing several emotions from impatience all the way to a more 'you better explain' type glare. Shaking his head in exasperation, he continued with a bit of reluctance. He hadn't felt this unnerved since his one-sided duel with Ra's.

"Alright, this...obviously you've noticed that Merlyn has been wanting to get you to leave Starling to avoid Ra's?" he asked, continuing as she nodded, looking a little confused. "Well, it's because he has violated the code; I don't know if he told you anything about that."

"He said that his Undertaking violated their code and that he was trying to stay hidden. I never did understand that whole thing. He just told me-well, more like demanded that we pack up and leave while I guess you were recovering?"

Oliver nodded, glad to know she was following him so far. He wasn't sure whether he should feel grateful towards the man for trying to make sure that Thea was spared, even if he had basically sent her brother off to die. Or maybe just all out angry at the man's manipulative ways. He would never tell his sister that he loved her just so she would do something for him. If he was trying to get himself out of trouble on the other hand…

"I guess he just wanted to skip town while he was ahead...that manipulative-" Oliver muttered, hoping she wouldn't hear. Unfortunately, he was never that lucky and barely managed to dodge a punch aimed at him for the comment. Seeing the scowl, he decided the slow crawl version was for naught. "Thea! Knock it off! If you knew what he did to Sa-" he blurted out, before facepalming and groaning inwardly. Now he'd done it. Draining the rest of his drink, he cursed and poured his last one and slowly drank it while he watched his sister closely. She was obviously turning the conversation over and over in her head, trying to figure out why he had responded that way. He knew the instant she figured it out, because she stood up and looked like she couldn't decide if she should pass out or faint. Approaching her with slow and careful movements, he made her sit back down and gave her a minute to process; all the while cursing his ability to break things gently. He wasn't the same gentle and spoiled brother she grew up with. He didn't want her to be like him, some living weapon that was made to be used for other people and to be called a monster by others.

"Did Da-Malcolm kill Sara?" Thea finally asked, blinking quickly to avoid crying. She should have seen the signs, she supposed. He had wanted to get out of town pretty quickly after she had died, but she couldn't really remember much of it. She just remembered being in Corto Maltese with him and the next thing she knew they were back and Sara was dead. She frowned, remembering the smallest of details, but couldn't work out how it was possible for him to kill her in that timeframe. It just wasn't possible, not even remotely. So, what was Oliver saying?

"He...killed her using someone else. He made it so they didn't know what they were doing." he answered, somewhat dodging the question. He could see her trying to put the pieces together, but falling short at the moment. "It's a drug called Votura, which happens to grow in Corto Maltese. It makes the subject susceptible to suggestion and they don't remember even doing it."

Thea looked utterly shaken now, refusing to believe that Malcolm would use someone like that. She wasn't naive as to think he hadn't killed several hundred people in the Undertaking and in the League. But a drug that made a person kill and not even remember doing it?

"Who-" Thea started, before clearing her throat. "Who did he use, Ollie?" When she saw him hesitate, she felt as if a giant block of ice had settled in her gut. He couldn't have.

"It was you, Thea. You killed Sara." he said quietly, hugging her as she folded into herself and started sobbing. He wasn't about to show her the video, but he wasn't foolish enough not to record Merlyn as insurance.

"Are you sure?" she asked, clinging onto him like a limpet and begging for him to be mistaken. Sara was her friend and Merlyn had cruelly made her shoot her full of arrows. Having come prepared just in case, he got out his phone and opened up the recording for her to listen to in all it's detail.

"When I confronted him, I recorded this as an insurance of sorts. Unfortunately, at the time he had his own." At her confused look, he gave her a small and yet sad smile. "It was you, Thea. He used you to make sure that I'd-" he paused and shook his head. "You know what? Just listen, but you won't ever think of him the same way again." he finished, handing her the phone. It had two recordings on it, but one video that he made sure she couldn't access. He watched as she hesitantly pressed play and listened.

* * *

**Directly from The Climb Season 3 Episode 9

_Malcolm Merlyn :_ _I don't think you want the league to see that. And if you kill me, they will._

_Oliver Queen : __This isn't her._

_Malcolm Merlyn :_ _You ever heard of a plant called Votura? It grows in South America. In fact, it thrives in Corto Maltese, making the subject extremely susceptible to suggestion, or retaining no memory of their actions._

_Oliver Queen :_ _I will tell Ra's this was you, that Thea was under your control._

_Malcolm Merlyn :_ _And he will still kill her. She fired the arrows._

_Oliver Queen :_ _You have given her a death sentence._

_Malcolm Merlyn :_ _No. What I've done is given you incentive._

_Oliver Queen :_ _To do what?_

_Malcolm Merlyn :_ _To tell Ra's that you killed Sara Lance. By right, you'll be given a trial by combat - with Ra's. His death will erase any blood debt from his reign, including Thea's._

_Oliver Queen :_ _And yours._

_Malcolm Merlyn :_ _I have to be honest - it was my concern that the whole killing thing would have been a deal breaker for you. But, uh, I'm gratified to see that Thea is still sufficient motivation. Don't take too long making up your mind. Ra's isn't known for his patience._

The first recording stopped and Thea sat there, frozen before moving on towards the next one out of curiosity. Oliver blanched, remembering what was on that recording and almost stopped her before remembering he was leaving Starling anyway. The only things he'd be taking were in this loft and hopefully his sister.

_Malcolm Merlyn : It's the strangest thing... Thea just called and said she was attacked by the _

_Arrow. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, now would you Oliver?_

_Oliver Queen : This was you... You know I figured, when I spared the man who murdered my mother, I would never kill again._

_[Grabs Malcolm by his throat and throws him on to the bar table] _

_Oliver Queen : I was wrong.*_

* * *

"You're the-I mean, I get why." Thea said, as she stood up and started pacing back and forth. She felt like her brain was going to melt. _Her brother was the Arrow_. It all made so much more sense now. The excuses and why he was never there; it was because he was out there helping people in the city. Her brother was still her hero, no matter how messed up he thought he was. She knew he cared about her more than anything. But what Malcolm did to her made her feel sick. She went to sit next to her brother and hugged him, hoping he didn't find her disgusting for what she had done. He was a hero for stopping all sorts of petty crimes, thugs, and saving the city in general. All she had done was make things worse for him and almost gotten him killed.

"I'm sorry, Ollie. I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. I didn't mean to hurt you and I almost got you killed. You should've just let-"

"Let what? Let you die because Malcolm manipulated you into doing something?" Oliver hugged his sister tightly and rocked her like he used to. She was one of the few people he'd actually be okay with having physical contact with. He supposed that Barry would be proud. He rolled his eyes thinking about how his friend was always trying to make him smile and hug him. If his sister had noticed the difference in how he acted towards certain people in his life, maybe she was being quiet about it for his pride's sake. First time for everything. He noticed that she had finally calmed down and was on the verge of sleep. He kissed her forehead. "No matter what happens, Thea, I'll always protect you. I promise." He took the blanket off the couch and laid it on top of her, while letting her snuggle up to him like her personal security blanket. He'd keep her safe.

"You're still my hero, Ollie." she murmured, right before she closed her eyes.

* * *

They had been looking in secret for "The Magician" before Oliver had even ordered them to, as Nyssa had told them that it was his wish. They knew that it was maybe a half truth at best, but also knew better than to question the daughter of the previous Ra's. They'd been told not to engage, but to tell either her or Oliver, the new Ra's once they had found him. They'd found him in a safehouse that he had obviously made for himself, hidden as far away from the hub of Starling City as possible. They immediately contacted Nyssa, but had somehow tipped off the former horseman in the process. By the time Nyssa was halfway there, they had told her he had changed directions and was heading towards a more familiar place that only a few members of the league were privy to. Nyssa cursed and contacted Sarab, letting him know that they had trouble on the way. She heard the man return her sentiments in his own native tongue as he hung up and opened the door to the loft without bothering to knock. He noticed how Oliver tensed, ready to fight whatever came through the door. That was good, seeing as they were about to have one.

"Sarab. I told you not to-"

"Forgive me, but it is an emergency. You must get your sister to safety before her..._father_ gets here. I have made contact with the others and they have assured me that he is headed in this direction rather quickly."

Oliver saw Maseo's personality appear for a moment as he practically hissed like an angry, venomous snake that had come across something offensive. He acted like what Malcolm had done to Thea was personal, but he supposed that it was in a way, since he couldn't imagine ever doing that to Akio. But just as soon as Maseo appeared, the order following Sarab immediately took charge again. It broke a part of Oliver that he had pushed to the back of his mind, only brought back to the surface at moments like this. He set it aside, picking up Thea carefully and taking her upstairs as swiftly and smoothly as possible. He knew that she'd wake up if the fight started inside the loft, which is why he needed to make sure she stayed asleep. Finding out about the Arrow and Malcolm in the same day had emotionally drained her, no doubt. Now, he had to think about whether the man would take the upstairs route or try and sneak in from downstairs. The logical thing would be upstairs, seeing how it would be a direct route to Thea, with the downside being that Oliver's room was quite close. He'd know that, having spent time here. The best strategy possible was to divide his forces until reinforcements got here. Sarab would have to stay and watch for him while Oliver could stay in Thea's room with her.

As Thea slept in her bed with Oliver right next to her watching guard, he fell into a meditative state that would help him listen and concentrate on nothing but what was necessary. His sister's even breathing next to him, Sarab downstairs and the A/C running. He could hear something sliding, like a window or door. It was times like these that made him wish he had his gear have the ability to collapse or at least his sword. He heard Sarab fighting with Malcolm and went to find a weapon. Nyssa was never going to let him hear the end of this, but he had left his assassin gear in the doorway and there was no getting it now. Sneaking into the kitchen, he went towards the knife block and grabbed a few...several knives and waited for an opening. He knew that his opponent was good with knives, especially throwing them. The last thing he wanted to do was give him more ammunition. Just when he saw an opening and was about to attack, Malcolm froze and turned towards the stairs at an awake Thea. This definitely complicated things. Things seemed at a standoff for several minutes, with Thea glaring from the place on the stairs at her so called father and Sarab and Oliver watching Malcolm's every move. If he so much as stepped or breathed wrong, Oliver would step in and not bother with hesitation anymore. He would protect his sister at all cost, even if it meant that Nyssa was left a widow. Malcolm had obviously put the pieces together as to why his daughter suddenly had such a loathing for him and turned to Oliver.

"You had no right telling her that and now she will hate you just as much as she hates me now. However, she'll eventually forgive me. Will she forgive you, knowing the reason that you abandoned and even attacked her?" he asked, but received no answer other than Oliver clenching his fists around one of the knives. "You were more of a son to me than Tommy _ever _was and now you've betrayed me."

Anyone who knew Oliver at all knew that talking about his best friend in such a way was the easiest way to get a rise out of him on any given day, and Oliver being taunted by his friend's father almost made him lose a hold of his emotions. He knew that's what Merlyn wanted and he wasn't about to give him the pleasure. He'd mostly mastered his mind and had the ability to hold back his emotions. He knew his sister did not have the ability and it showed. Her father talking about Tommy, her _brother_, in that way made her angrier than she thought possible. She knew Ollie would disapprove of what she was about to do and that he was only taunting them, but she couldn't take it any longer. Jumping from where she stood on the stairs, she reached for the nearest weapons case for something to use against her own father...no, he was now her enemy. Malcolm had obviously foreseen this outcome and blocked her attack with ease while her brother looked on in alarm. He had hoped for once that she wouldn't let her emotions cloud her judgement in a situation like this. He gritted his teeth, wondering if this wasn't his fault in part. Maybe a good deal of this aggression came from her being in the Lazarus pit, but he wasn't about to let her lose to Malcolm and get stabbed a second time. He noticed in the corner of his eye that Nyssa had finally arrived with backup, to his relief and obviously her amusement. She slid his weapons from the doorway towards him as she came silently behind him and smirked.

"Don't forget those next time, husband." she remarked lightly as she came on Malcolm's other side, drawing her sword. Well, at least _she_ was amused. With his own sword at his hip, Oliver moved closer to Thea's fight and nocked an arrow, drawing back his bow.

"Thea, get back! His fight is with me now."

Their fight ended abruptly, as he thought it might with Thea being thrown to the floor and sliding towards the fireplace. That area was a bad memory for both of them, but especially for Thea. She froze, not expecting it and Oliver moved as fast as he could do get there, knowing he couldn't get there in time. Being surrounded by enemies was one thing for Merlyn and he could keep a calm head with no problem, but knowing that she knew the truth about him was another. He was no fool. He knew that the League had surrounded him and it wasn't controlled by Nyssa, and probably never would be. Ra's would have rather had some stranger become his successor, someone like Oliver. So if the League was following _anyone's_ orders, it'd be his. He could beg Oliver to let him go, but he knew that the moment Thea killed Sara under the drug Votura he was living on borrowed time. He knew that he'd made a tactical error using Oliver's sister as a scapegoat and blackmail to get his debts erased. He'd put her in danger, but the least he could do was put her out of her misery. In the back of his mind, he could hear her brother screaming Thea's name in a rage but was blind to it. Now, he was caught in a bloody mist, killing anyone and anything that got in his way.

Oliver almost made it before Nyssa made the decision that she knew she'd never regret. She knew that both brother and sister needed to live in order to be happy, like some cosmic balance of sorts. Her husband would be beyond depressed if he failed to save her yet again and Thea would rather die than see her brother gone again. Knowing that, Nyssa jumped blindly in front of her, blocking her father's frenzied attacks. There was no order to them and now she had several deep cuts on her arms and one close to her collarbone. Thea looked on in shock at the fight as Oliver threw a smoke bomb towards all three of them and ordered his men to get them to safety. He would fight and kill Merlyn, making the general look like he went on a holiday. Yes, both men were quite angry at the other. Covering everyone else's exits, Oliver shot at the man with quick consecutive shots. This made both of them move around the loft quite a bit, leaving arrows and knives lying all over the place. In the end, they both ended up in a long and drawn out sword fight, leaving each other bruised up and bloodied. Knowing that Al-Sa Her was quite well known for his ability to play tricks on his opponents, Oliver was taking no chances this time around. In a rare form of utmost rage, Oliver had decided to kill him inches at a time. It was like Hong Kong all over again, in some ways. In preparation, he had coated one of his arrows in a sedative of sorts. It was only strong enough to let the person continue to fight was no coming back from this one for Malcolm Merlyn and with a powerful kick, he was unconscious. He fulfilled his promise to Nyssa by taking his head and separating it from his body as proof of his death. With a blank face, he turned to Sarab, who had given him plenty of space to fight and sighed.

"It's finally over. I have kept my promise to Nyssa and Thea is protected. Where were they taken? The safehouse?"

"Yes. I suppose we should have some people clean up so that it is not such a mess when your sister comes back to pack?" Sarab suggested, trying to appear helpful and yet coming off as almost sarcastic. Oliver shook his head in exasperation and then wordlessly gave the order. As they got closer to the hideout, they both were traveling in more of a companionable silence up until they reached the door of the house and heard some glass break. They looked at each other and Oliver counted down and broke the door, to see that Thea had dropped a glass and had a look of utter shock on her face. Not wanting to startle her anymore, Sarab started to clean the glass up, while Oliver tried to get Thea out of her state of shock. She finally noticed him and blinked a few times, smiling.

"Thank goodness you're okay!" his sister said in a way too happy voice. Frankly, it sort of scared him. He backed up a foot or two from her, knowing that she was about to blow up at him for something he'd inadvertently done. She hit him on the chest and then proceeded to ask him the one thing everyone else seemed to know. "Why didn't you tell me you were married?!"

_Whoops._

A/N: Ahh, Oliver. All that work and anxiousness to make sure that your sister didn't end up mad at you and she goes and finds out that you are married. Whoops indeed. Yeah, so this didn't end up nearly as short as I wanted it to be. I was looking at doing maybe 1000 words but somehow ended up with around 4800. So, obviously I won't be doing Kara or Talia today. Sorry.

*And yes, I am fully aware that Thea doesn't find out about Oliver being the Arrow for another five episodes or so.


	4. Oliver vs Felicity?

A/N:This didn't fit into any of the categories for the other Arrow fic I have, but you guys can think of it as more of a peace offering while I work on the other one shot. It's a work in progress, but I've kind of gotten stuck about halfway through. I almost want to add another character in, but I'm not sure if that will just make a mess of things.

Now, I realize that timeline-wise, this is going to get a bit out of order. Also, I am _highly _aware that Felicity is seeing Billy for what is probably the majority of his [Oliver's] time in office. Regardless, this will be when he's mayor and not when he's still campaigning. Also, may I just point out that while I don't condone cheating in any way (which will be addressed), it's not like Oliver didn't try and face up to his mistakes; and yet all people do is criticize him. Sure, he screwed up, but he's been constantly trying to deal with it, and it's not like Felicity is the pure hearted angel that everyone wishes to constantly cast her as. If you Google stories, it's always 'Oliver hurts Felicity' or 'Oliver cheats on Felicity'. Excuse me? Am I wrong in remembering that she's lied to him on _at least_ three separate occasions? At least. All right, rant over. I just _had_ to get that off my chest after constantly hearing how awesome the pairing is. No. Just...no.

Spoilers ahead...obviously. x_x

The Breakup, AKA Oliver Takes Back His Spine

Oliver sighed as the day finally caught up with him. He was tired of people like the Damien Darhks of the world, who thought that they could dictate how things ran in his life and in his city. He wasn't going to put up with it any longer, and he knew that meant putting William at a distance. Rubbing his eyes tiredly, he thought back on all of the complete awkwardness, tension and hurt that had been in the atmosphere lately. It was his fault completely, there was no denying that. It all stemmed from his cheating on Laurel,and not just with Sara, but also Samantha. It was a wonder that the Lance family wanted anything to do with him after all he had done to them. He had just learned to withhold a flinch every time he saw one of them out of guilt and now all of this happens. Laughing bitterly in a somewhat bitter and humorless way, he recalled trying to adamantly persuade Captain Lance that he was a changed man now. Maybe he had changed, but the fact that he still hurt people hadn't changed at all. He knows that there are several people that have called him a monster and a murderer to his face and even behind his back. He wasn't so naive as to think that even those closest to him, including his fiance and friends, thought he was a killer. He might have at one time flinched at those remarks, but he'd been forced to become almost apathetic over the years. It wasn't until he'd decided to get closer to people and let _her_ start to make so many changes in his life that things got so complicated. True, he had started to not kill after Tommy had died, but letting Felicity stay past Walter's return like their original agreement was a mistake. He saw that now.

He frowned at that, putting his now aching head on the table and closing his eyes for a moment. He wasn't about to fall asleep, but he needed to attempt a moment of meditation to think. He wasn't so stupid as to not have Felicity checked out before he had even been forced to get into her car that one fateful night after his mother had shot him. He knew that she always tended to act like she could do no wrong and he had foolishly just played along with it. He knew all about her lies and secrets, which admittedly sounded pretty hypocritical of him obviously. Things between them were starting to reach a boiling point, and couples that had all the secrets like they did weren't meant to last for long. Upon hearing Felicity's approach, he inwardly sighed and sat up. He knew what this was all about, and while a part of him dreaded the conversation; another slightly sadistic part was looking forward to it. He had no shortage of things to get off of his chest, and by the looks of it, neither did she. Their relationship was over and both of them knew it. He kept his face neutral, even if he knew that she hated it when she couldn't tell what he was feeling when he did that. She kept her distance, metaphorically and physically, obviously bracing herself for what she was about to do. He already knew what she was about to do, although her leg twitching was unexpected.

"Oliver, we need to talk." she started, keeping her distance as best she could.

"About a number of things, I would guess." Oliver casually responded, not expanding on his previous thoughts. He watched in slight detachment as she came a little closer and took off her engagement ring. He couldn't say that he was necessarily surprised, but watched nonetheless as she put it on the table and backed up slightly.

"I know the position that Samantha put you in, and I understand that it was an impossible decision. You should have told me." Pausing for what he suspected was dramatic effect, she continued her assault. "And now, you're sending William away; but once again, you have left me out of the decision." Oliver started counting in his head to calm down, because inside his head he was _not_ happy at all. Things had gone from a simmer to a boiling point, which was almost funny considering the person in front of him had almost no cooking skills whatsoever.

"Felicity-" he broke himself off in shock, as he saw her legs twitch a bit. Obviously the chip was starting to work, which meant he had precious little time to work with before she got up and left. Sure, he'd be happy she could walk, but he needed her to wake up. He saw her try to move her legs and moved in front of her to stop her from attempting to leave. As...grateful as he would be for this toxic relationship to finally be at its end, he needed to make his own thoughts known. She looked up at him, with an expression stuck somewhere between shock and indignant. She always did like having the last word, but he wasn't about to let her having it this time.

"Oliver, let go." she told him, scowling at him. He backed up a bit, just to see her try again and gave her a flat look that said 'sit down and shut up for once in your life'. She acquiesced, and reluctantly sat there.

"No, you don't get to throw a fit like that and then storm out of here like a five year old child, _Felicity." _he told her flatly, emphasizing her name and making her flinch at the obvious slight.

She opened her mouth, but quickly closed it, knowing that it would make little difference anyway. Besides, she'd spoken her mind. He should be allowed the same, although she'd heard him let loose before and she was not looking forward to the diatribe she was about to face. She swallowed as she looked at the expression that he usually gave people that he tried to distance himself from. She tried not to avert her eyes and was only partially successful.

"Felicity, I will grant you the fact that my past has come back to haunt me several times. I've tried my best to overcome it and deal with it; but to be honest, its none of your business. Yes, I had a deal with Samantha that had _nothing_ to do with you. At first, I felt sort of guilty for not telling you. But now that I've thought about it, I have come to realize that it was my son and my deal I made with her. You should have never done what you did, putting Barry in such a hard place when we already had so much to deal with. While I understand that you wanted to know what was going on with me, it was personal and confidential and you had no place cornering him like that. You used his weakness, his inability to come in between people and grabbed the test from him. And while I probably would have sent them both away regardless, you had no right not only interfering, but using him like he was just a some...tool to be used and thrown away. I know he's too nice to be angry with you and has already forgiven you, but that doesn't mean I've forgotten.

Oliver sighed, taking a breath. The next few things he had to say probably frustrated him the most.

You have been acting like you have some sort of moral high ground when it comes to how I deal with things, especially regarding William. Well, I'm sorry if I didn't tell you that I was sending my own son into hiding and making sure that he was safe from psychos like Darhk. I wasn't about to waste time asking for your opinion when I have had to deal with making sure that he was safe again. So, yes, I did it without asking and I'd do it again."

"Oliver, you can't possibly-" Felicity started, but was stopped when he raised his hand.

"I'm not done, Felicity." he interrupted, halting her mid sentence. "I have to wonder, just how many lies of your own you've told me?" At her indignant expression, which was an obvious state of denial, he gave her an 'oh really?' look.

"I've never lied to-"

"But you have, and it wasn't even only me that you lied to!" he yelled, turning to the table and slamming one of his hands down on it, making her flinch. "You lied to me when we were in Ivy Town, and several other places. And do you think I'm blind, not noticing you flirting with Billy Malone when you think I'm not looking?

She looked alarmed, not expecting him to notice, let alone know who he was.

Yes, I know who he is, which means that I had Thea do a background check on him. I won't ruin his career for your misdeeds, even if he shouldn't be messing with people that are in an established relationship."

At this, she gave him what seemed to be a distinctly sarcastic look, which he knew the clear meaning of. _You're one to talk._

"Yeah, I know I'm not exactly the best example of someone who has had the best past or even current ability to hold relationships. I don't think I can, and maybe Laurel knew that; maybe she didn't." he thought out loud. "Anyway, aside from that, exactly how long after I went to Ra's did you run into the safety of another billionaire? You sure seem to like to try and "fix" people and then leave when it's convenient."

Felicity looked at him like she had just been slapped, not quite believing what she had just heard.

"That's not fair. I spent weeks believing that you were dead."

"And yet you kept it a secret until I walked in on you two. Obviously you weren't that broken up about it." Oliver kept his tirade going before she could say anything. "I won't deal with it anymore. I've put up with you not trusting me and following my orders when we're doing Arrow business. You've only made things worse and it can't go on any longer. From now on, unless I need your help, I don't want to see you. Period."

Felicity blinked, as if she was expecting some more and tried to get up again. She almost expected to see him stop her again, but he merely walked away and ignored her, She tried to avoid the stabbing feeling that accompanied not only all that he had said, but that he was acting that she wasn't even there. Trying to act like it didn't bother her, she slowly got up and left with the little dignity she had left. Little did she know, this nightmare wasn't exactly over.

* * *

Thea had intended on coming over to deal with what was going to a clear backlash, in one way or another. She hadn't been sure why her brother had wanted her to suddenly look into what had seemed to her like some everyday cop, but now that she knew, she was tempted to use him as arrow practice. It wasn't entirely his fault, seeing as her brother's thankfully _former_ fiance had used her womanly wiles against him. She heard her opening the door and decided to hide in the shadows for now. She needed to deal with this possibly political mess before going after Felicity. She waited a few minutes before opening the door to the loft and looked at what seemed to be a brooding Ollie. She wasn't sure whether to question him or congratulate him, so she just waited for him to acknowledge her presence. While she could sometimes barely tolerate his overprotective ways, he was always happy to see her. Sometimes, that in itself irritated her. She wanted him to let his guard down and actually feel something around her for once. Maybe it was an older sibling thing. Finally, he went to the coffee maker and started it, getting two mugs. She'd never know how he did that. Even practicing so much at being wary of her surroundings as she had, she'd never been as good as he was. Without turning around, he set the mugs on the counter and got out some much needed comfort food and finally acknowledged her.

"Thea, what are you standing there for?" he asked, turning around with a small smile and a tired look on his face.

She knew that he hardly slept, especially with all of the stress lately, but he looked exhausted. She supposed that if she pretended not to notice and made him relax with her on the couch, he might at least take a nap for a while. The politics could wait until they were at the office tomorrow. She approached him casually and tried not to be _too_ casual at the same time. Her brother could read emotions and body language incredibly well, especially hers. Leaning across from him against the counter, she tilted her head a bit a hummed.

"Well, I noticed that you seemed pretty deep in brooding mode and decided not to interrupt. Besides, spooking you would do me little good," she said, cringing and trying not to facepalm as she saw him flinch. Sometimes she just couldn't shut up. "Don't do that, Ollie. You know that I wouldn't care. I can fight back if something happens, you know."

As she saw him nod and avert his eyes, she could tell that he was about to return to his previous state and saw fit to stop it in its tracks. Biting her lip, she figured this would turn out pretty well or extremely bad for the both of them. Taking a deep breath and releasing it, she took a stab in the dark, metaphorically speaking. At his questioning gaze, she opened her mouth to say something and closed it. She wasn't exactly sure what to say. Oliver turned back to the coffee and poured both of them a mug, before walking over to the couch, She brought the cookies and they both sat down, enjoying the silence for a while before he gave her the patented big brother 'spill it' look she both loved and hated. Grabbing a cookie to stall, she thought about what to say and decided to be the sister she usually was.

"I was walking here and saw Felicity leaving, and walking no less. She looked less than her usual chipper self."

Oliver snorted, which for some reason sounded both bitter and sarcastic at once.

"Be honest, Thea. How long were you eavesdropping?"

"I wasn't-" Thea tried defending herself before looking at her brother's 'oh, really?' look. "Okay, fine. I was listening in, but I wasn't there for that long."

Her brother continued giving her the look and she pouted, crossing her arms. He rolled his eyes good naturedly.

"How old are you? Three?" he asked her, shaking his head.

She stopped pouting when she saw that he was smiling. She was fine with him thinking she was being a three year old if he would smile. She returned the smile and patted him on the cheek.

"Funny. I distinctly remember you admitting that you've never been that mature." she shot back, now giving him a smirk. He raised his hands in surrender, giving up and obviously now believing that she hadn't been there _that_ long. "So, what's this mean? Are you back to being the city's most eligible bachelor?" she asked him, grabbing the blanket off the couch and covering the both of them.

Oliver raised his eyebrows at the action and rolled his eyes as his sister cuddled up to him. Sometimes Thea could be about as subtle as the quietest assassin. This was not one of those times. She had obviously noticed the toll the day had taken on him and his recent lack of sleep, but was letting him keep his pride intact. While he was thankful for this, she could be exasperating at times. Yeah, like he was any better when it came to her and being the overprotective big brother. He sighed and leaned back; letting her lean on him, while getting comfortable. She poked him, demanding an answer to her question. He looked at her, slightly amused. It was just like her to be the one demanding that he forget about his worries, at least temporarily.

"I don't know, I guess I am. I suppose I'm just glad to be out of the relationship, you know? It was too toxic and it just couldn't go on." he said ruefully. He started a bit as his sister gave him a sympathetic look and rubbed his arm. They continued to talk for a while longer before eventually falling asleep together on the couch. She had watched him fall asleep first, which was almost surprising. Usually he would force himself to stay awake, so that he could make sure that she had fallen asleep and was safe. She supposed that what with mayor business, and then this whole thing with Felicity and William; he'd finally crashed. Eventually, she fell asleep, laying her head on top of his shoulder. She'd deal with his ex in the morning, no doubts about it.

* * *

Surprising her yet again, Oliver managed to sleep in for several hours afterward and not just a nap like she had expected. She was tempted to try and drug his coffee while he wasn't looking but not only would he probably sense it, he'd undoubtedly be pretty mad at her for a while. It didn't mean that she hadn't wanted to try it. A few people had succeeded, even his former fiance. She was getting ready to leave and probably later ask to move back in with him later when he'd actually rested. She was almost to the door when she heard a groggy Ollie call after her. She almost wanted to lie like she used to and tell him that she was going to meet a friend or something, but he had been lied to enough. She walked back over to him and made him lie back down, deaf to his protests that he'd slept plenty.

"You look like crap, Ollie. There's been a lot going on lately and you need to relax while things are slow. I don't care if you take the whole day off to sleep, but I'll keep coming over to make sure you're getting your sleep. At his sleepy and yet questioning look, she shook her head. "We'll talk about it later. Just go back to sleep."

Finally, he sighed and grabbed her hand to comfort her, but him as well. She wasn't going to leave him. Giving him a goodbye kiss on his forehead, she made sure he was comfortable and walked out the door before heading to her place to get ready for her day at the office.

It was really quite unfortunate for Felicity that she decided to go and try to get some things from Oliver's office. She had only been let in because she was typically around the mayor and had even been around during his campaign. Naturally, the news of the breaking of their engagement wasn't exactly public knowledge yet. She decided that she had to use this to her advantage while she still could. And while she really was quite shocked that Oliver wasn't here yet, she wasn't going to waste a moment. Her plan had been going brilliantly until she felt something sharp against her neck and heard one of the voices she dreaded the most. She had no doubt that Oliver had told his sister what had happened, if the ice cold tone that followed and knife against her neck said anything.

"What are you doing in my brother's office?" Thea asked, trying hard to sound civil with the woman. Felicity stupidly decided it was best to play dumb, just in case.

"It's just me, Thea. I'm here all of the time." she responded, trying to keep her own tone light and unafraid of her ex's sister.

"Do not play me for some fool. I know that you guys are no longer engaged, which means you are no longer allowed in here without his permission. You can no longer come and go as you please. He shouldn't have allowed you in the first place. It's good to see that my brother finally regained his backbone that you stole from him. Go back to Malone, just make sure it's not here. You're no longer allowed here unless you're escorted by security, and don't even think about hacking the system. Now leave before I force you, because you won't like how I do it." Thea said, narrowing her eyes. She took the knife away, just enough to let her stand and shoved her towards the nearest security guard. "Make sure she never returns without the Mayor's permission."

He looked confused for a moment, but escorted her out nonetheless. Thea saw them walk away and stopped them. Before you go, I want you to leave my brother alone or else Felicity."

In the meantime, Thea had some work to do. On her list was making sure that everyone knew to leave her brother alone to rest for once. She didn't care who she had to threaten or talk to. He needed some sleep and she was going to make sure he got it. He had always taken care of her as her big brother and now it was her turn.

A/N: Meh. I know I majorly came down on Felicity, but honestly, she should have remained at Queen Consolidated or some other IT job as a consultant for the team. As a friend or even confidant, she's fine for Oliver, but as a love interest? I say no. Too many things are wrong that are just shoved to the side for convenience's sake. It should have been Nyssa or Sara, maybe even Laurel as a last shot.


End file.
